Thanksgiving! Please show us 1 coin that you're thankful for

[Ryro]

Rather than celebrate a lie perpetuated to us in the US since we were kids about the genocide of an indigenous people being a warm and loving affair, I'll just stick with the native peoples idea of celebrating something I'm grateful for, coin!

I'm not saying it's gonna be in my top ten. Nor that it won't be. Here is a coin I picked up this year that I am grateful for.

It's the only known coin of the type. Plus, it's got that adorable little Macedonian shield.

And though I may be more stoked about other coins this year, I got this one cheap and its unique, I won this for just 48€. I've never seen it before, RPC hasn't nor has ac search. If you think you've seen one before, that's only because it's my avatar😉 I've submitted it to RPC. And like I, they were excited! 

You may have seen similar types (from my posts) but both sides have writing!

Macedon. Koinon of Macedon. Pseudo-autonomous issue AD 1-100.

Bronze Æ, 18 mm, 3,95 g, very fine

Save a turkey. Easy a pussy

Do you all have coins that you're grateful for or laughs you want to share? Let's see em!

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Ryro
Laughs

[Roman Collector]

This one. It's very rare and I doubt I would have ever had another opportunity to buy one.

 

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.21 g, 31.2 mm, 12 h.
Rome, autumn AD 154-December AD 155.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, left, with Beckmann Type 5 coiffure.
Rev: S C, Diana, draped, standing front, head left, holding out arrow in right hand and resting left on bow, set on ground.
Refs: RIC –; BMCRE –; Cohen 208; Strack 1325 (Paris); RCV –; Banti (Paris) 114.

[expat]

Not a funny post but a coin I am extremely thankful for, without which I never would have become so enamoured with this fascinating branch of numismatics. Namely, Ancient collecting.

The coin was a prize in a competition donated by @Theodosiusby way of Jax Numismatics from the @Sulla80collection.

[ambr0zie]

In a way I am grateful for all the coins I win because this means I have budget for them, I am healthy and I afford spending money in a hobby that's expensive but brings me joy.

Here is one of my very recent acquisitions, and in the near future I will create a topic about it because I think it deserves one.

I am grateful that, even if it's not the best example in the world, I was able to get it for a decent price. So thanks to other bidders who were on other auctions 🙂

On a more serious note, I am grateful to another forum colleague who presented his example a while ago and I could study it more and decided I want one.

Edited November 24, 2022 by ambr0zie

[CPK]

1 hour ago, Ryro said:

Rather than celebrate a lie perpetuated to us in the US since we were kids about the genocide of an indigenous people being a warm and loving affair, I'll just stick with the native peoples idea of celebrating something I'm grateful for, coin!

Not even sure what is meant by this opening. If you're implying that Thanksgiving is, or ever has been, a celebration of genocide, then all I can say is it reveals a rather shocking ignorance of history.

 

The unpublished coin is pretty cool though - congrats!

Here is a coin I enjoy, not only for the history (just think: this very coin was handled by one of Julius Caesar's soldiers!), but also because I was able to snag it for well under what these types usually bring. It's not in the best shape, and it's got a weird double-strike on the reverse (any ideas how that might have happened?), but the name and most of the details are clear.

[Sulla80]

Great looking coin @Ryro with nice patina.  Looks like a mix of these two coins from AMNG III p75 229-230 (Plate III 10-11) - Macedonia under Roman rule during the 1st Century AD. "Coins without an emperor's head from the 1st century AD" - aka psuedo-autonomous - although the "Nike" (victory) seems to be a way to remind the Makedonians who is in charge.

 

I just posted my Top 10 for 2022 here: www.numisforums.com/topic/1736-2022-top-10-sulla80/#comment-29774

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Sulla80

[Ryro]

14 minutes ago, CPK said:

Not even sure what is meant by this opening. If you're implying that Thanksgiving is, or ever has been, a celebration of genocide, then all I can say is it reveals a rather shocking ignorance of history.

The unpublished coin is pretty cool though - congrats!

 

Lol, I was merely referencing the lies that we were taught as children about the first Thanksgiving and what it led to for those peoples and many others. Sadly, I am not ignorant of this great countries abhorrent past. 

THIS did NOT happen:

THIS and things much WORSE did:

And thanks I'm still very jazzed about it a month or so later. 

Excellent Julius Caesar! Everyone is so obsessed with getting a portrait of the old pencil necked legend. But this coin type is just much cooler. 

I always like to imagine Caesar touched my coin as he was handing it out to his troops on campaign:

21 minutes ago, Sulla80 said:

Great looking coin @Ryro with nice patina.  Looks like a mix of these two coins from AMNG III p75 229-230 (Plate III 10-11) - Macedonia under Roman rule during the 1st Century AD. "Coins without an emperor's head from the 1st century AD" - aka psuedo-autonomous - although the "Nike" (victory) seems to be a way to remind the Makedonians who is in charge.

 

I just posted my Top 10 for 2022 here: www.numisforums.com/topic/1736-2022-top-10-sulla80/#comment-29774

 

Precisely! None have MAKEDON written on both obv and Rev.

And I LOVE your top ten. How could I not with that cherry RR Mettalus with the MSC reverse?

As well, RPC only shows those types as well:

My examples of those rare, but not unique, types. And don't worry Ihave the type that both our references show as standing left, standing right below😎:

[zadie]

1 hour ago, CPK said:

Not even sure what is meant by this opening. If you're implying that Thanksgiving is, or ever has been, a celebration of genocide, then all I can say is it reveals a rather shocking ignorance of history.

 

The unpublished coin is pretty cool though - congrats!

Here is a coin I enjoy, not only for the history (just think: this very coin was handled by one of Julius Caesar's soldiers!), but also because I was able to snag it for well under what these types usually bring. It's not in the best shape, and it's got a weird double-strike on the reverse (any ideas how that might have happened?), but the name and most of the details are clear.

I believe the correct label in this case is overstrike as opposed to double strike. What you're seeing on the reverse is the remnant of an undertype, with the standard pontificate reverse die having been struck over it. If allowed to speculate on why this was done, I would imagine that the coin was struck with the obverse elephant die on both sides in error. The mint worker then remedied this by overstriking with the proper reverse die.

Edited November 24, 2022 by zadie

[Celator]

20 minutes ago, Ryro said:

THIS did NOT happen:

THIS and things much WORSE did:

Are they drinking Coronas with pizza 

[Qcumbor]

I'm most thankful for the following "demi pistole"

 

First for the story behind it, how it travelled several times across the pond, and how it ended in my trays. I've told the story in the thread below

Second, since while I was browsing the auction it was sold at, my parents kindly decided they would gift me with it, in recognition of something nice I had previouly done for them (but doing nice things for your parents is what you should do, right !)

Q

Edited November 24, 2022 by Qcumbor

[panzerman]

We had Thanksgiving about 5 weeks ago/ no Turkey but something way better roast goose with dressing/ rich gravy/ mashed potatoes whipped up with sour cream/ philadephia cheese/ red cabbage cooked a red wine.

This coin/ I am very fortunate to have in my collection.

AV 4 Tari d'oro ND Messina Mint in FDC

Konrad II HRE and Hohenstaufen King of Sicily 1250-54

I got at opening bid from Savoca Auction for 800 euros. Its unique/ unpublished. A AV 3 Tari islisted as Extremely rare.

[zadie]

This has been an awful year for me personally but when it comes to coins I think I've done quite well. Here's two coins from 2022 that I'm thankful for:

 

Second Triumvirate. Lepidus and Octavian. AR Denarius. Military mint travelling with Lepidus, November-December 43 BC. Bare head of Lepidus right, LEPIDVS · PONT · MAX · III · V · R · P · C/ Bare head of Octavian right, CAESAR · IMP · III · VIR · R · P · C. 17 mm, 3.84 g. Crawford 495/2a; RBW 1752; RSC 2a.

 

This type has been high on my list for a good long while and this was the year I was finally able to snag one! The portrait type of the triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus used to be considered somewhat scarce but there seems to have been a small hoard recently that is being dispersed. I've counted more than 15 examples sold this year alone! I was quite happy to pick up this particular example. The portraits have suffered immensely from die wear but I still think it retains some quality to it, especially the portrait of Lepidus.

 

The other coin that I'm thankful for (there are many others but I wont destroy the thread posting them all 😁) is this cistophoric issue of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther (Consul in 57 BC) from Laodicea:

 

Promagisterial Cistophori. Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther as Proconsul of Cilicia. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Laodicea on the Lycus, 56-53 BC. Anaxagoras son of Artemidoros, magistrate. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / P · LENTVLVS · P · F · PRO · COS. Two serpents entwined by a bow case. In the left field, ΛΑΟ. In the exergue, ΑΝΑΞΑΓΟΡ[ΑΣ] / ΑΡΤΕΜΙ[ΔΩΡΟΥ]. 26 mm, 12.03 g. Stumpf -; Metcalf -. Unpublished. One of only two known: cf. Nomos, Web 16. Lot 872 (Hammer 600 CHF). Overstruck on a previously issued cistophor from Laodicea.

 

I've previously shared this coin so I wont rant about it, if anyone's curious to read more: 

 

[panzerman]

33 minutes ago, Celator said:

Are they drinking Coronas with pizza 

Actually, pizza and cold Coronas are excellent! My fav. pizza topping: bacon crumbles/ ground beef/ mushrooms/ sundried tomato slices/ garlic😀

[panzerman]

30 minutes ago, Qcumbor said:

I'm most thankful for the following "demi pistole"

 

First for the story behind it, how it travelled several times across the pond, and how it ended in my trays. I've told the story in the thread below

 

Second, since while I was browsing the auction it was sold at, my parents kindly decided they would gift me with it, in recognition of something nice I had previouly done for them (but doing nice things for your parents is what you should do, right !)

Q

Great minds think alike!

[Qcumbor]

Yes @panzerman, I know too well you have this wonderful example of the 1575 demi pistole, and I still hope my name will apear in your will for that one 😄 !!

Take your time, I'm not in a hurry 😄 😄 

Thanks (in advance)

Q

[Sulla80]

48 minutes ago, Ryro said:

Lol, I was merely referencing the lies that we were taught as children about the first Thanksgiving and what it led to for those peoples and many others. Sadly, I am not ignorant of this great countries abhorrent past. 

THIS did NOT happen:

THIS and things much WORSE did:

And thanks I'm still very jazzed about it a month or so later. 

Excellent Julius Caesar! Everyone is so obsessed with getting a portrait of the old pencil necked legend. But this coin type is just much cooler. 

I always like to imagine Caesar touched my coin as he was handing it out to his troops on campaign:

Precisely! None have MAKEDON written on both obv and Rev.

And I LOVE your top ten. How could I not with that cherry RR Mettalus with the MSC reverse?

As well, RPC only shows those types as well:

My examples of those rare, but not unique, types. And don't worry I have the type that both our references show as standing left, standing right below😎:

LOL, @Ryro, you have a monopoly on these Macedonian shields!

[AncientOne]

I am thankful that I'm finally in the "booty club" here at Numisforum.

 

CILICIA, Irenopolis-Neronias. Domitian, 81-96 AD. AE, Hemiassarion. 4.17 g. 17.40 mm.

 

 

@RyroThat caucasian shrit pic made me laugh out loud!

[robinjojo]

That's a hard call for me.  Basically I am grateful for not only the privilege and the means to pursue this hobby, one that I have found very fulfilling over the course of over forty years, but also being able to assemble such a wide ranging collection. 

That said, I suppose, just due to its size and domineering presence, the 50 reales of Segovia, being very rare, and requiring some sacrifice in terms of liquidating coins in the middle of a lay off in 1997, would fit the requirement for thankfulness.  I'm really not into holidays such as today to mark thankfulness, since I think that, along with kindness, tolerance and thoughtfulness should be qualities we should pursue year round.

So, once again, "the Queen", perhaps a bit of a fanciful name on my part, but we all have our foibles.  

Edited November 24, 2022 by robinjojo

[CPK]

26 minutes ago, Ryro said:

Lol, I was merely referencing the lies that we were taught as children about the first Thanksgiving and what it led to for those peoples and many others. Sadly, I am not ignorant of this great countries abhorrent past...

The first "Thanksgiving" was a friendly celebratory feast between the colonists and the Wampanoag Indian tribe. The Pilgrims had a peace alliance with the tribe - in fact it's questionable whether or not the Pilgrims would have survived without help from the natives. None of that is a lie. Of course, eventually relations deteriorated, and horrific acts were perpetrated by both sides. However, that did not come until 50 years later with the onset of King Philip's War.

But be that as it may...

Even though I am currently trying to save up for a lifetime JC portrait coin (long term goal!) I really like the military-issued coinage, specifically because it feels like it has a more direct connection to the ancient past. I just finished listening to the Great Courses lectures about L. Cornelius Sulla in Garret Fagan's History of Ancient Rome lecture series; to think that this very coin was handed out in payment to one of Sulla's troops makes it all the more fascinating:

 

 

[Spaniard]

I'm really thankful that I didn't purchase a "dud" as my very first ancient coin many years ago. I just really liked the iconography on both sides and went for it ...Here she is...

Licinius I AE Follis 20mm/3.43gr (Emperors name Misspelled)

Obverse-IMP LICINVS PF AVG- laureate, cuirassed bust right

Reverse-REV SOLI INVICTO COMITI- Sol standing right, looking left, chlamys across chest and over his left arm, holding globe and raising right hand. C-S across fields

Exergue-PARL- minted 313-318AD Arles

[seth77]

I'm thankful for all coins, even the commonest and/or worn corroded, because studying numismatics brought balance in my life inbetween work and family issues, worries about raising healthy kids, the pandemic and the war.